


arcane talks

by madnessiseverything



Series: cr daily drabbles [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, fjord is impulsive and i love him for it, magic studying, the angst is entirely ukotoas fault ok
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-13 09:04:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18465802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madnessiseverything/pseuds/madnessiseverything
Summary: A ginger human hunches over a table across from Fjord. Books were strewn about the wooden table. Fjord stops. He can just see arcane symbols on a page turned his way. Curious. It’s not rare to see magic users of course, but Fjord finds himself drawn in. He remembers his feeble attempts at researching magic, remembers the list of arcane practitioners he has planned on contacting on his phone. Maybe he should take this chance.or the one where Caleb transcribes in a coffee shop and Fjord gets curious.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this while in a coffee shop myself :D just a tiny drabble, with a part two likely coming up. hope you enjoy <3

Fjord likes to think he is good at reading people. Years of watching people, watching how they hold themselves, watching how they interact with the world around them makes him a decently knowledgeable person when it comes to the social life of others.   
  
But there are always those that surprise him, from time to time. He takes them in stride, enjoys watching the way they seem to force the world to look at them in a way he would never dare.   
  
He leans back in his chair, coffee cup warm in his hands, and watches the blue tiefling woman holding a mostly one-sided conversation with the slightly confused looking waitress. He can read the waitress fairly well. Despite her stiff posture, awkward and unsure, there is a slight blush dusting her cheeks, betraying her true feelings at the bundle of energy grinning up at her and pointing at an open sketchbook on the table.   
  
The tiefling swings her legs, voice boisterous as she continues talking without interruption while tearing into a sprinkles-covered donut. Fjord leaves them to it and lets his eyes roam around the coffee shop for a new subject.   
  
The broad-shouldered woman with floral tattoos crawling up her arms stands behind the register, a pink-haired firbolg walking out of the kitchen to have a brief exchange with her. A small halfling looking woman jumps to get attention from the cashier, dried flowers resting on her head.   
  
A ginger human hunches over a table across from Fjord. Books were strewn about the wooden table. Fjord stops. He can just see arcane symbols on a page turned his way. Curious. It’s not rare to see magic users of course, but Fjord finds himself drawn in. He remembers his feeble attempts at researching magic, remembers the list of arcane practitioners he has planned on contacting on his phone.   
  
Maybe he should take this chance.   
  
Before he can talk himself out of it, Fjord is up and walking over to the man furiously scribbling into a notebook. “Excuse me?”   
  
The man looks up, striking blue eyes focusing in on Fjord with distrust. “Can I help you?”   
  
Fjord swallows. Maybe this was a bad idea. “I don’t mean to intrude. I just, ah, noticed that you seem to be looking into arcane practices?” He wants to slap himself. Why does he sound so suspicious?   
  
The man looks down at his table. “Is there a problem?”   
  
Fjord scratches at his neck. “No. I uh… I’ve been trying to research some things myself and when I saw you I thought I could- I was hoping you maybe could help me with my, ah, problem.”   
  
The man doesn’t respond for a few agonizing seconds. His eyes scan Fjord slowly. The distrust melts away, but the man’s brows remain furrowed. “Problem, you say?”   
  
“Indeed.” Fjord feels incredibly stupid, but the man finally leans back and gestures to the empty seat in front of him.   
  
“Well, I can try my very best.” Fjord takes the seat gratefully, smiling at the man.   
  
“Thank you kindly. The name’s Fjord.”   
  
“Caleb Widogast,” comes the response and Fjord commits the name to memory.   
  
“Pleasure to meet you,” he says genuinely and belatedly stretches his hand across the table. Caleb shakes it briefly, before closing his notebook and tapping his fingers on the cover.   
  
“So what is this problem of yours?”   
  
Fjord feels the low hum in the back of his mind and runs his fingers through his hair. “I don’t- I find it hard to explain. I recently came into being able to do certain magic, without prior learning or knowledge of the arcane. I have been trying to figure out the meaning behind these powers.”   
  
Caleb’s eyes narrow again. But there is a spark of something in his eyes, something Fjord would usually write down as curiosity in any other person. It seems more intense in Caleb’s eyes, looks like it belongs. Fjord shakes his head minutely.   
  
“In which circumstances did you find these powers?”   
  
Fjord doesn’t know why he thought he could get through this without divulging some details. Curse his impulsive actions. “Ah, after an unfortunate accident. I woke up after it and found myself with the ability to cast spells I had never witnessed before.”   
  
Something like recognition joins the curiosity in Caleb’s eyes. Fjord should probably focus less on them. Caleb clears his throat.   
  
“That seems like something beyond my expertise. I am book-learned. But I have heard of those with inherit magic. I might have some resources, but I do not carry them with me at this moment.”   
  
Before Fjord can himself, his mouth opens. “I do not mind meeting up another day over some coffee.” Caleb seems taken aback, his head tilting to the side. Fjord wants to punch himself. “Sorry, I don’t-”   
  
“That sounds like a good idea. I could bring my resources back here on Thursday.”   
  
Fjord almost swallows his tongue. “Sounds, uh, sounds good.” He coughs. Caleb’s lips twitch.    
  
“I look forward to it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thursday comes around. It's definitely, totally not a date and Fjord definitely, totally does not end up in a near panic when Caleb predictably starts poking him about his magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this little cute story got away from me! there will be at least one more chapter, but it's looking like it might be four total. hope you enjoy this chapter, that definitely got a lot more angsty than i meant for it to be.

When Thursday comes, Fjord arrives half an hour before he and Caleb had agreed to meet up. Anxious energy has been following him for the past two days, making it impossible for him to really sit still. If Caleb really has something about magic like Fjord’s… He can’t even imagine.    
  
“What can I get you?” Fjord pulls his eyes from the menu and smiles at the waitress, the same one from his last visit. She blinks back at him, pad and pen ready.    
  
He clears his throat. “Uh- I’ll just take a berry chocolate frappé for now.”     
  
“Whipped cream?”    
  
“No, thank you.”    
  
The woman nods curtly and scribbles down the order before stepping away from his table. Fjord pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through his social media to pass the time.    
  
He is half-way through his drink when the door chimes again and a wind-swept looking Caleb walks into the café. Fjord barely stops himself from standing up to help Caleb carry the stack of books balanced in front of his chest. Instead, he raises his hand to wave Caleb over.    
  
“Ah, a little early too, I see,” the redhead greets, placing the books onto the table gently before sitting down across from Fjord. Fjord rubs at his neck.    
  
“Yeah. Finished work and figured it made little sense to go home prior.” Work had finished two hours ago. Caleb definitely doesn’t need to know about the hour and a half that Fjord spent obsessing over his outfit and hair, Fjord decides.    
  
Caleb nods. A different waiter comes up and takes Caleb’s order, Fjord mentally taking note of the black coffee before shaking his head at himself. He’s overthinking this. It’s just friendly sharing of information, in a coffee shop. Simple. He tilts his head to take a glimpse at the book titles just as Caleb picks the first book from the tower and places it in the middle of the table.    
  
“So, firstly it would greatly narrow down the search if you could give any potential details that you left out previously.” The wizard looks at him with eyes too knowing for Fjord’s taste. “You said the arcane came to you after an accident?”   
  
Fjord nods and coughs into his fist. He pointedly ignores the flashes of yellow his brain gives him. “Uh- yeah. I was in- hm. A ship that I worked on was sabotaged and I was thrown off of it during an explosion.” His back itches at the memory. “I woke up on the shore afterward and found that I could cast certain things that I had never learned in any capacity.”    
  
Caleb’s eyes remain focused on him, though it seems like they are set onto Fjord’s forehead more than his eyes. Fjord drops his head down to look at the book Caleb’s hands are resting on. He takes note of the way Caleb’s fingertips seem blackened, his eyes getting stuck on the smudges of ink and what looks like soot. Caleb’s eyes continue to burn into him.    
  
“Well,” Caleb starts, and Fjord looks back up as Caleb opens the book carefully. “There are a few possibilities. Have you had any prior experiences with the arcane?” His voice is monotone, but his accent more pronounced than Fjord recalls. It’s charming, Fjord feeling a smile coming on despite the anxiety still pumping through his body.    
  
He shakes his head. “I have seen practitioners, street magic, you know. But that’s about it.”    
  
A brief flash of amusement crosses Caleb’s face and Fjord grins. He pushes his right hand down on his knee and hopes to god that the urge to bounce his leg will leave soon. Caleb looks down and starts flipping through pages. Caleb’s coffee arrives just before he starts speaking again.   
  
“There are some reports of late-blooming sorcerers, but they are usually in their teens. What spells are you capable of casting?”    
  
Fjord frowns. He doesn’t know their names. “I can change my appearance at will,” he starts, tapping his fingers against his drink. “I can conjure up some illusions and materialize a- well, a sword.” Caleb’s brows jump up, but he keeps flipping through the book and doesn’t look up. “I managed to accidentally encase myself in ice that didn’t hurt and could be knocked off. Took a while.” Fjord runs his fingers through his hair. “Soaked right into the carpet.”    
  
Caleb nods along, eyes briefly flicking towards Fjord’s drink. Fjord stops the tapping and takes a sip. His eyes are drawn back to Caleb’s fingers and the question is out before Fjord can even think twice.    
  
“What spells do you specialize in?”    
  
Caleb pauses, taps his thumb against the book. “I have quite the array of spells,” he says and looks up, folding his hands on the book. “But I specialize in transmutation.”    
  
“Gotta be honest, I have no clue what that means,” Fjord says with a laugh. Caleb’s lips twitch and Fjord looks down at his drink. “Whatever it is, I’m certain it blows what I’m capable of out of the water.”    
  
Caleb doesn’t respond for a few seconds, fingers slowly turning another page. “It’s all in the practice.”    
  
Fjord nods. “I can imagine. What are some other thoughts you have about my… situation?”    
  
“There is something called a warlock.” The tone of Caleb’s voice makes Fjord’s grip on his drink tighten. “They are not very common. And I have yet to read about one that is unaware of them being a warlock.”    
  
Fjord digs his teeth into his bottom lip. “Oh.” He clicks his claws against the wood of the table, thinks about the dreams again. “What does being a warlock entail?”    
  
Caleb looks at him with that knowing look again. “Warlocks make a pact in order to gain arcane boons from a patron. The patron grants them their powers.”    
  
A low hum starts in Fjord’s head and he clenches his jaw. “Ah. I don’t recall making a pact.” His voice is tight, the words scraping against his throat on their way up. Caleb leans forward.    
  
“Do you think it’s possible you made a plea out of an- instinct to survive?” His voice is lower, eyes sharp. Fjord doesn’t know how to feel. He digs through his memories, thinks back to the dark water, the yellow flashes, the voice.    
  
“Yeah,” he says after a while, the word coming out as a shaky inhale. “It’s possible.” The feeling of freezing water in his lungs creeps up on him, the memory of salt feeling fresh on his tongue. Caleb tilts his head. Fjord feels himself shrink under the gaze, his cheeks heating up. His chest feels cold, tight, like he might suffocate.    
  
A soot and ink-stained hand closes around Fjord’s. He looks down to find his claws digging into the wood of the table. Caleb gently pries his fingers off of the table. “Breathe.”    
  
Fjord flexes his hand and runs them over his face. He takes a deep breath. “Sorry, it’s… I guess it’s more of a sore subject than I thought.” He tries to laugh, but the sound comes out a lot more hysterical than he meant it to be.   
  
“We don’t need to continue if you would prefer to take a breather.” The book is still open. One of Caleb’s hands is still resting on the pages, the other on the table in front of Fjord. Fjord’s eyes flick between the book and his drink, to Caleb’s untouched coffee. He inhales, exhales.    
  
“That sounds like a good idea,” he replies, the admission feeling odd, almost like surrender. It’s been a while since he’s been given room to breathe. Caleb gives a small smile and pushes the book to the side. He grabs his coffee.    
  
“So, Fjord. You mentioned work?”   
  
Fjord has never been more grateful for a topic change that obvious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to drop by my [cr twitter](https://twitter.com/nottanycritter) and [cr tumblr](https://nottanothercritter.tumblr.com).

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to drop by my [cr twitter](https://twitter.com/nottanycritter) and [cr tumblr](https://nottanothercritter.tumblr.com) for that good good, relatable content :D


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